Bow section member for pontoons



M y 1964 E. c. KIEKHAEFER 3,131,665

BOW SECTION MEMBER FOR PONTOONS Filed March 27. 1962 INVENTOR. E L MER C. KIEKHA EFER mdrus a! Star/(e AfroR/vEYs United States Patent 3,131,665 BOW SECTION MEMBER FOR PONTOONS Elmer Carl Kiekhaefer, Winter Haven, Fla., assignor to Kiekhaefer Corporation, Cedarburg, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 182,891 2 Claims. (Cl. 114-665) This invention relates to flotation devices such as pontoons and more particularly to a bow or prow section member for pontoons so that the pontoons may be used or be converted for use in marine vehicles.

Two or more spaced apart pontoons covered with suitable decking material may be used for flotation structures such as piers, docks, wharves, walkways, boat houses, work platforms, water sport floats and numerous other applications. While such flotation structures can be moved through the water from one location to another, such movement is generally diflicult and slow. Ordinarily lack of mobility is not a problem for the aforementioned applications since the structures are generally anchored in a fixed location. However, to make the aforementioned structures more easily movable when necessary or desired, and to expand the field of use for pontoons, it is generally an object of this invention to provide a detachable bow or prow section member for pontoons so that the pontoons may be used or be converted for use in relatively eflicient and stable marine vehicles which may be towed or driven at relatively high speeds.

A detachable bow or prow section member in accordance with this 'invention'comprises generally a channelsection member Whichis closed forwardly and open rearwardly. The bow member tapers forwardly and upwardly from the open rearward end thereof which dimensionally corresponds generally with the'forward portion of a pontoon. In its assembled relation the rearward open end of the bow member engages with the forward portion of a pontoon and the upper edge thereof is disposed in engagement with the decking supported by the pontoon. At the upper edge thereof the bow section member is provided with a means for securement only to the decking.

The drawings furnished herewith illustrate the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently contemplated and set forth hereinafter.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a marine vehicle made up with pontoons and including the detachable pontoon bow or prow section members of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial side elevational view with parts broken away and sectioned of a pontoon with detachable bow section;

FIG. 3 is a partial bottom plan view with parts broken away showing the pontoon of FIG. 2 with detachable bow section secured in place;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the detachable bow section member of FIGS. 2 and 3, reduced in size;

FIG. 5 is a similar perspective view showing another embodiment of the detachable bow section member; and

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view in elevation showing the detachable bow section of FIG. 5 secured in place relative to a pontoon and its decking.

Referring to the drawings, the marine vehicle 1 comprises a pair of spaced apart generally parallel pontoons 2 which support a suitable decking 3. The vehicle 1 further includes detachable bow or prow section members 4 forwardly of the respective pontoons 2 making it possible for the vehicle to move over water at relatively high speeds.

The pontoons 2, preferably made of welded sheet aluminum alloy, are generally hermetically sealed box-section members of considerable length having spaced side walls 'ice 5 joined by a bottom 6 and end walls 7. The decking 3 may be secured on the pontoons 2 by any suitable means such as bolts 8 extending through flange projections 9 provided outwardly along the upper edge of side walls 5. Angle strips 10 may extend along each side of the pontoon 2 overlying the flange projections 9 to reinforce the flange projections and decking.

The decking 3 may be of a suitable plywood or planking material and extends considerably beyond at least the forward end of pontoons 2. The decking may be outfitted with a suitable edge strip 11 to provide a trim appearance and may be equipped with various other desired marine fittings, not shown.

Forwardly of the pontoons 2 the vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with the detachable bow section members 4 shown in greater detail in FIGS. 24. As there shown, a bow section member 4, preferably fabricated from a sheet aluminum alloy, is generally a channelsection member having side walls 12 closed forwardly by a relatively narrow and shallow end wall 13. Side walls 12 and end walls 13 have a generally planar upper edge from which a flange 14 projects outwardly, and in the assembled relation of the bow section, flange 14 is adapted to engage with the underside of decking 3. The member 4 is open rearwardly and includes a rearmost portion, wherein the side walls 12 are generally parallel and joined by a generally flat-bottom portion 15, which is adapted to receive in overlapping relation the forward portion of pontoon 2. Forwardly from the parallel side wall portions, side walls 12 taper inwardly to meet the corresponding side edges of the relatively narrow end wall 13. The underside of bow section 4 forwardly from portion 15 angles upwardly to meet the lower edge of the relatively shallow end wall 13 and comprises a pair of adjacent bottom panel portions 16 disposed angularly to each other to meet centrally of the bow section member forwardly from the meeting edges of the panel portions with the corresponding side walls 12 to provide a lead edge 17 for the member. The respective panel portions 16 may curve inwardly from lead edge 17 as shown to provide a sharper or more pronounced lead edge to enhance the stability and efliciency of the bow section member for movement through the water.

In its assembled relation the upper flange 14 of the bow section 4 engages with the underside of decking 3 and is secured to the decking by any suitable means such as the plurality of bolts 18. If desired, the flange 14 may be reinforced by angle strips 19 along the sides of bow section 4 and the angle strip 20 at its front which are likewise secured in place by the bolts 18.

Outfitted with the bow sections 4, the pontoons 2 of the marine vehicle 1 of FIG. 1 provide a stable, nondiving support capable of relatively high speeds and will easily plane the surface of the water.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the detachable bow or prow section member 21 comprises generally a channel-section member which is open rearwardly and closed forwardly and includes side walls 22 and bottom 23 which terminate rearwardly with a generally planar edge 24 having a configuration corresponding generally with the edge flange 25 extending forwardly from the pontoon end wall 7. When the bow section member 21 is assembled onto the pontoon structure, edge 24 on the bow section is placed in engagement with the pontoon edge flange 25 to provide a generally smooth juncture therebetween. A flange 26 extends rearwardly from edge 24 of the bow section member 21 and is offset inwardly to extend interiorly of the pontoon edge flange 25 and thus provide an overlap relation between the bow section and the forward end of the pontoon. From a location adjacent to edge 24, the bow section tapers forwardly, and the side Walls 22 generally curve downwardly and forwardly to merge smoothly with the generally triangular bottom 23 and converge forwardly to form an arcuate leading edge 27 which extends upwardly and forwardly from bottom 23. The convergent side walls 22 have a generally planar upper edge for engaging decking 3 on assembly and a flange 28 projects outwardly from the Walls to provide means whereby the bow section member may be secured to the decking as by screws 29.

The detachable bow or prow section members of this invention greatly expand the field of use for pontoons from generally fixed location flotation structures to include mobile flotation structures such as cruisers, houseboats and barges. When it is deemed necessary or desirable they may be used also to convert fixed location pontoon structures to mobile structures.

When pontoons are employed in mobile structures, floating and submerged obstructions may be a hazard lest seals be broken upon collision to admit water into the pontoon. Since the pontoon bow sections of this invention are secured only to the decking and not to the pontoon, damage to the bow section resulting from collision with an obstruction will ordinarily not damage the pontoon itself. Thus, the detachable bow or prow section members of this invention not only provide for mobility of a pontoon structure, but also serve as a means for protecting the pontoons against damage from such obstructions.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination; a box-section pontoon having a forward end closure generally normal to the walls thereof and an edge flange of uniform depth projecting forwardly from said closure at the side walls and bottom wall; a flat decking supported by the pontoon; and a bow section member for the pontoon, said member comprising generally a tapered channel-section member closed forwardly and opened upwardly and rearwardly, the rear edge thereof corresponding with the pontoon edge flange and further having an inwardly stepped flange extending rearwardly from said rearward edge, said member being disposed forwardly of the pontoon with the rearward edge of said member engaging the pontoon edge flange to provide a generally smooth juncture therebetween with the inwardly stepped flange on said member projecting interiorly of the pontoon edge flange to provide an overlappingengagement therebetween, said member having a generally planar upper edge adapted for engagement with the underside of the decking, flange means projecting outwardly from the upper edge of said member, and means for securing the flange means to the decking.

2. In combination with a deck structure supported on a plurality of spaced parallel pontoons, a bow member for protecting the forward end of each pontoon comprising generally a forwardly tapered channel section open upwardly and rearwardly and closed forwardly and downwardly and having the rear end thereof substantially complementary with and outwardly overlapping the forward end of the corresponding pontoon free of securement thereto, the upper edge of said member being flanged outwardly in engagement with the deck, and means securing said flange to said deck only.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,791,347 Cable Feb. 3, 1931 2,384,981 Wallace Sept. 18, 1945 2,401,453 Bell et a1. June 4, 1946 2,725,027 Brandon et a1 Nov. 29, 1955 2,950,699 Ogden et al. Aug. 30, 1960 2,975,747 Opie Mar. 21, 1961 3,034,155 Freeland May 15, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,187 Great Britain of 1911 

2. IN COMBINATION WITH A DECK STRUCTURE SUPPORTED ON A PLURALITY OF SPACED PARALLEL PONTOONS, A BOW MEMBER FOR PROTECTING THE FORWARD END OF EACH PONTOON COMPRISING GENERALLY A FORWARDLY TAPERED CHANNEL SECTION OPEN UPWARDLY AND REARWARDLY AND CLOSED FORWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY AND HAVING THE REAR END THEREOF SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLEMENTARY WITH AND OUTWARDLY OVERLAPPING THE FORWARD END OF THE CORRESPONDING PONTOON FREE OF SECUREMENT THERETO, THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID MEMBER BEING FLANGED OUTWARDLY IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DECK, AND MEANS SECURING SAID FLANGE TO SAID DECK ONLY. 